Han Dong-hoon, interim leader of the ruling People's Power Party (PPP), said on March 27 that he would completely relocate the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, where some functions are scheduled to be transferred by 2031, to Sejong. By doing so, he said he would loosen development regulations in Seoul, including Yeouido, to turn it into a financial and cultural megacity.

The move comes a day ahead of the official start of campaigning for the general election on April 10, which is aimed at persuading swing votes in Seoul and Chungcheong Province. With opposition parties, including the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), all insisting on moving the National Assembly to Sejong, Han's pledge is unlikely to make a big impact.

Han held a press conference at the PPP’s headquarters in Yeouido and said, "We will end Yeouido politics by completely relocating the National Assembly to Sejong and return the National Assembly building to citizens as a new landmark of Seoul," adding, "We will actively promote the development of Seoul by lifting development restrictions in the capital, including Yeouido and its surrounding areas."

The construction of a new National Assembly building in Sejong, which houses 12 of the 17 standing committees of the National Assembly, the National Assembly Budget Policy Office, and the Legislative Research Office, is scheduled to be completed by 2031. But what Han said is that the standing committee, the plenary chamber, and the National Assembly speaker's office, which were to remain in Yeouido, will all be relocated to Sejong.

"The complete relocation of the National Assembly to Sejong is a signal of Seoul's development," Han said.

The presidential office also said, "President Yoon Suk-yeol pledged to open the national Assembly in Sejong when he was a presidential candidate," adding, "We will ask the relevant ministries to speed up the establishment of the second presidential office in Sejong, which was also Yoon’s presidential campaign promise." It is understood that Han's pledge to relocate the National Assembly to Sejong was met with a positive signal from the presidential office as it responded with the campaign pledge of speeding up the installation of the second office.

It seems that the ruling camp raised the huge agenda about development two weeks ahead of the general election to shake up the situation in the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungcheong Province where dissatisfaction with the government has been growing.

The Conservatives have been opposed to the complete relocation of the National Assembly, along with the relocation of the administrative capital, which have been pushed by the Progressives since the Roh Moo-hyun administration because such move is against the Constitutional Court's decision on the “customary constitution” in 2004.

The DPK welcomed it, saying, "It's a relief even though it's late." The Justice Party and the New Future Party insisted that not only the National Assembly but also the presidential office should be relocated to Sejong. The Rebuilding Korea Party called for the relocation of the capital, which was abandoned after being unsuccessful during the Roh Moo-hyun government.

As opposition parties, including the DPK, are also actively in favor of the relocation of the National Assembly to Sejong, it is expected to gain momentum if the government and the ruling party are firm. However, it seems difficult to avoid criticism that the Yoon Suk-yeol government and the ruling party had taken a passive stance on establishing a new National Assembly building in Sejong for two years in power, which was Yoon’s presidential election pledge. Some say that it is an urgent pledge aimed at voters in Chungcheong province as the general election is around the corner. Some also pointed out that the ruling camp is beating a dead horse as the pledge of relocation has already been made by candidates from the ruling and opposition parties during the last presidential election.

Controversy is expected to arise over whether a constitutional amendment is needed. "We believe that the complete relocation of the National Assembly does not require a constitutional amendment," said Hong Seok-joon, deputy head of the General Situation Office of the PPP’s National Election Commission.

On the other hand, Kim Min-seok, head of the Situation Office of the DPK’s Election Campaign Committee, said, "It has not yet been confirmed whether the PPP and interim leader Han have thoroughly examined the constitutional issues raised."

Attention is also being paid to the ruling camp's position on the issue of relocating the presidential office or the administrative capital, which the opposition parties demand. "(Relocating the presidential office) is something we will think about later, it's not something we're talking about now," Han said.